Israel to seize Palestinian-owned land in West Bank

By Muhammed Gafri

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – Israel announced Sunday that it will seize Palestinian-owned land in the occupied West Bank.

Israeli occupation authorities said they will confiscate several acres of land in the town of Biddya in Salfit governorate under the pretext that they are "state property."

"I condemn the Israeli authorities' practice of demolishing homes in the area as well as seizing land and destroying Palestinians' livelihoods,” Salfit Governor Abdullah Kamil said in a statement.

Calling on Palestinians to resist the relentless attacks by Israel and Jewish settlers, Kamil also urged the international community to put pressure on the Israeli government.

He stressed that the world's silence encourages Israel to commit more crimes and violate international law and agreements.

Meanwhile, an official from Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) told Anadolu Agency that Israeli authorities stopped the construction of a Palestinian house in the village of Wadi Fukin southwest of Bethlehem on the grounds that it was unlicensed.

Israel demolishes Palestinian homes and structures in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, which it occupied in 1967, for various reasons.

Under the 1995 Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, was divided into three portions – Area A, B and C – with Area C under the administrative and security control of Israel until a final status agreement is reached with the Palestinians.

Area C is currently home to 300,000 Palestinians, the vast majority of whom are Bedouins and herding communities who predominantly live in tents, caravans and caves.

The Israeli administration mostly does not allow Palestinians to construct new buildings or expansions in Area C on the grounds that it is under its control.

*Writing by Seda Sevencan